MATH STINGER #82
by Dr. Joel C. Fowler
Associate Professor of Mathematics   

 

The puzzle for this issue concerns three cars in a race that consists of some number of laps on a track.  At the instant the winner crosses the finish line the other two cars cross the same point on the track as well.  The car coming in second then completes the race in one more lap.  The car coming in third completes the race in one more lap after that.  The winner's speed was 101 mph.  The puzzle is to determine the speeds of the other two cars and the number of laps in the race.  Assume that the cars travel the exact same distance around the track and that their speeds are constant during the race.

 

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